Bhagavad Gita BG 18.64
Chapter 18, Verse 64 — Meaning, Translation & Explanation
सर्वगुह्यतमं भूयः शृणु मे परमं वचः । इष्टो ऽसि मे दृढमिति ततो वक्ष्यामि ते हितम् ॥
sarva-guhyatamam bhuyah shrnu me paramam vacah ishto 'si me drdham iti tato vakshyami te hitam
Meaning
Hear again My supreme word, the most secret of all. You are firmly loved by Me — and therefore I shall tell you what is beneficial.
Understanding
The most personal verse in the chapter: sarva-guhyatamam paramam vacah (the supreme word, the most secret of all — the superlative of superlatives). Shrnu me bhuyah (hear Me again — there is more to be said). Ishto 'si me drdham iti (you are firmly/deeply loved by Me — 'ishta' means beloved, dear; 'drdham' means firmly, deeply). Tato vakshyami te hitam (therefore I will tell you what is beneficial for you). The motivation is love: not authority, not duty, but personal divine love (ishta). This frames the famous sarva-dharman verse that follows — the complete surrender is invited from a place of love, not command.
Word by Word
| Word | IAST | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| सर्वगुह्यतमम् | sarva-guhyatamam | the most secret of all (superlative of guhya = secret) |
| परमम् | paramam | supreme, highest |
| इष्टः | ishtah | beloved, dear, loved (ishta = desired, dear, beloved) |
| दृढम् | drdham | firmly, deeply, solidly |
| हितम् | hitam | what is beneficial, good, well-being |
| भूयः | bhūyaḥ | again |
| शृणु | śṛṇu | hear |
| मे | me | from Me |
| वचः | vacaḥ | word, instruction |
| इष्टः | iṣṭaḥ asi me | you are dear to Me |
| दृढम् | dṛḍham iti | firmly thus |
| ततः | tataḥ | therefore |
| वक्ष्यामि | vakṣyāmi | I shall speak |
| ते | te | to you |